PhysRevD.59.023509.pdf (146.92 kB)
A classification of scalar field potentials with cosmological scaling solutions
journal contribution
posted on 2023-06-07, 20:01 authored by Andrew R Liddle, Robert J ScherrerAn attractive method of obtaining an effective cosmological constant at the present epoch is through the potential energy of a scalar field. Considering models with a perfect fluid and a scalar field, we classify all potentials for which the scalar field energy density scales as a power law of the scale factor when the perfect fluid density dominates. There are three possibilities. The first two are well known; the much-investigated exponential potentials have the scalar field mimicking the evolution of the perfect fluid, while for negative power laws, introduced by Ratra and Peebles, the scalar field density grows relative to that of the fluid. The third possibility is a new one, where the potential is a positive power law and the scalar field energy density decays relative to the perfect fluid. We provide a complete analysis of exact solutions and their stability properties, and investigate a range of possible cosmological applications.
History
Publication status
- Published
File Version
- Published version
Journal
Physical Review DISSN
1550-7998Publisher
American Physical SocietyExternal DOI
Issue
2Volume
59Page range
1-7ISBN
0556-2821Department affiliated with
- Physics and Astronomy Publications
Full text available
- Yes
Peer reviewed?
- Yes